"THINKING BLACK" WAYS IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1914, Page 2

"THINKING BLACK" WAYS IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

"Thinking Black: What is at the Bank of the Black Man's Brain," formed the subject of a highly interesting lecture delivered by Mr. Dan Crawford, F.R.G S., who has spent twenty-three years in the heart of Central Africa, in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, presided) the hall being full. Mr. Crawford said that to acquire the facility for thinking black, he had to leave the method of "thinking white," so as to get to the- back of the black man's brain. As showing the t difficulties in the Way of the missionaries, he related an amusing fitory. He was, he said, near a camp, and preached about the dying of the Son of God, and His victory. "And then a .man. Malemba was his name." said Mr. Crawford, "gave me a knock-down blow. That splendid, chocolate-coloured cannibal said to me: 'Now I know the reason why you white people are such a, bad lot.' I said : 'What do yea mean?' 'Why,' came the reply, 'you went away and murdered the very best One, and, not content with that, you have crossed land and sea to tell us 3'ou did it.' " Mr. Crawford, in reply, pointed out that Christ had pardoned his murderers. He told the natives that they were committing certain crimes in their camp that day, and were crucifying Him again. "And the same thing is going on in Wellington to-day," ho said. "Good old Malemba," continued the speaker, "I saw that man come really and truly bounding into the Kingdom of God, and it was a joy to me to gree^ him as my brother in the Lord." Ho related a number of other interesting experiences, and concluded by saying that) his motto wag what was going to be the motto of Wellington some day: "The soul of all improvement is tho'improvement of the souL" In the evening the Town Hall was again well filled, when Mr. Crawford delivered, an address upon "The Nearest Place to the Bottomless Pit." To-day Mr. Crawford will be given a reception at the V.M.C.A. by the Ministers' Association, in tho evening will speak in the Town Hall upon "Tho White Angel of Central Africa," being an account of the medical work accomplished by Mrs. Crawford.